Survivor 45 Recap: The End is Near, and It's Not Going to be Pretty

Well, the day is here, we're finally at the finale of Survivor 45. And I'm happy to announce the sole Survivor is... JK I wouldn't do that to you. (But if you want, you can scroll to the bottom to find out.)

Speaking of winners, you can listen to my chat with the Survivor 45 winner and runners-up on the Parting Shot podcast. I'll also chat with the breakout stars from Survivor 44, Carson Garrett, Carolyn Wiger and Yam Yam Arocho (another winner), to find out what life is like post-Survivor, do they watch the show differently, how do they deal with sudden fame and what do they do with that fame. (In Garrett's case, he capitalized on his title as the 3D-printed puzzle king by launching Puzzlenaut by Carson.)

But let's go over this finale, shall we? Warning, spoilers ahead.

To catch you up on what happened last week, by all means read my recap, but briefly, Dee made a strategic move to not clue in her showmance boyfriend Austin in on a crucial vote that took out Drew, a key alliance for Austin. Honestly, it was a rad move, and I'm glad she did it. Some might say it was a million-dollar move.

So after Tribal Council they head back to camp and Austin is dealing with the reality that Dee had lied to him about the vote. He says he's not upset, but like, you know he is. Meanwhile Katurah, Julie and Jake bring up the prospect of breaking up Austin and Dee. They see how close they are, and Katurah is mad they didn't stop them earlier. The scene ends on Austin and Dee holding hands. (Because Survivor has amazing editors.)

ADVANTAGE CHALLENGE

They gotta get their sneakers on, because they're about to run. Things start with an advantage challenge. They gotta run around the beach looking for clues to unlock a combination lock. Inside is an advantage challenge. Dee and Austin work together—because showmance—while Katurah, Jake and Julie scramble. After a lot of running, Jake figures it out and earns the immunity challenge, to be used at the...

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

So they have to crawl under an obstacle, dig up a machete, use that to cut a rope that drops sand bags, and then toss those sand bags into a little basket. Once they land the sand bags in the basket, it reveals a number. That number unlocks a combination lock with a key. Then they gotta climb up a thingy, unlock the puzzle and build a three-tier puzzle. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the Final Four and will not be voted out at Tribal Council.

Legit, I was exhausted writing that challenge description. I'd suck at Survivor.

Since Jake got that advantage challenge, he's able to get all the numbers for the combination lock after the first sandbag he lands in his basket. This gets him to the puzzle quicker.

So they're doing the challenge, and Jake is killing it. He makes it all the way to the puzzle and realizes he forgot the key. This set him back big because it allowed Austin to sneak in and take the lead.

Eventually, they're all doing the puzzle. It's a tight race between Austin and Jake. In the end, Austin wins. But Jeff Probst points out that Jake likely would have won if he had noticed a puzzle piece he didn't see. Personally, I don't think Probst needed to do this. Sure, it's good TV, but it's kind of rubbing sand in the wound, you know? This won't be the first time Probst and Jeff have awkward encounters this episode.

But despite Probst being shady, Jake doesn't have to feel bad for long, because Austin chooses him to go on reward. They get to go to sanctuary for a steak dinner, baked potatoes, wine, and carrot cake (gross).

SANCTUARY AND CAMP GOSSIP

So at the reward, Austin admits in a confessional that he had a very specific reason for choosing Jake. It wasn't to be nice (let's be real), it was because Jake would tell Austin everything he needs/wants to know. And Jake does exactly that. He tells Austin that he has an idol and plans to use it on himself at the next Tribal Council. Jake also tells Austin he wants to take Julie out. Austin just sort of plays along with this but is just humoring Jake. He got what he wanted out of the reward.

So back at camp, Katurah tells Julie she wants Dee out. But Julie really wants to take Jake out. Dee, on the other hand, is just waiting for Austin to get back from reward so she can figure out what to do.

As Austin and Jake walk back to camp, we hear Jake tell Austin, "Don't tell anyone about my idol." And then the very next shot is Austin telling Dee that Jake has an idol. (Great editing here folks.)

So basically everything leading up to Tribal Council is mayhem. We know Austin is good, we're pretty sure Jake is good, so it makes it a fight between Dee, Julie and Katurah. Austin is pretty set on taking Katurah out, and Dee is fine with that too. Julie, meanwhile, isn't fully on board with taking Dee out. So Katurah and Jake talk. Dee convinces Jake that Dee is the person to take out. He even tells her he has an idol. What he doesn't tell her is he plans on using that idol on her, because he's obsessed with making a big move. (Boys and their big moves, am I right?) Katurah isn't sure Jake is telling her the truth, so she makes him swear on his beloved Nana. He does. (Lesson here kids, never swear on Nana.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL

So Probst just has to bring up (AGAIN) Jake missing that puzzle piece in the challenge. Jake tells him, "I'm not dwelling on it." Exactly, nor should Jake dwell on it, JEFF PROBST!

So they all talk about how it's a one-person game now, and that they're all worried about each other. Katurah, in particular, is worried Jake isn't going to do what he said he's going to do and vote for Dee. In fact, she's pretty sure everybody is going to vote for her. So at the last minute, she switches her vote from Dee to Julie.

Right before the votes are read, Jake decides to play his idol...for Katurah. She's shocked. If only he had told her this, maybe she wouldn't have switched her vote. Because who gets sent home? Not the biggest threat in the game they had planned on sending home, Dee, but Julie. So yeah, Julie gets sent home, and Jake is pissed because Katurah made him swear on Nana. (Sorry Nana.)

So back at camp, Katurah and Jake have it out. All he wanted to do was make a big move and take the biggest player out, but now he's stuck with no big move. Katurah is like, you should have communicated more—which is true—but deep down Katurah is pissed at herself because she feels she only has herself to blame for Dee still being in the game.

FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

For their final immunity challenge, they have to move a series of tiny bowls through a rope challenge and balance them at the end of the rope course. This one is tough because it's impossible to move the bowls without shaking the course.

They all struggle with this, but particularly Jake. Once again, he gets so close and then makes one wrong move and all the bowls come tumbling down. Out of frustration, he gets messy, and Probst tells him that if he damages the obstacle course, he'll be out. Well, seconds later he does exactly that. Ugh, Jake can't catch a break this episode. (Or, let's be real, any episode this season.)

In the end, Dee wins, ensuring that she will be in the Final Three and will decide who has to make fire for their spot in the Final Three.

Back at camp, Dee is ecstatic. She did it. But now she has some decisions to make. She knows she doesn't have to make fire, so instead she decides to meet with everybody. (But we all know who she's going to pick to take with her to Final Three, her showmance boyfriend Austin, duh.)

First, she meets with Jake, who all out says he wants to make fire. This is his last chance for a big move in this game, and he needs it to prove to himself that he's a great player. Honestly, this gets so emotional, because we want this for Jake. He's struggled so much this season, that a win here would be everything. It would make up for so many failures. And Dee knows this, so she decides to "honor" his wish, and she says she's going to pick him to make fire.

That just leaves Katurah. She knows the situation she's in and feels largely responsible for it. After she and Dee talk, she knows she's going to have to make fire against Jake. Will she pull through?

FIRE

As expected, Dee chooses Austin to go to the Final Three with her. Katurah and Jake get in place to make a fire.

Honestly, this is one of my favorite parts of Survivor, because it's largely a challenge against yourself. I'm thinking back to last season, and how much I wanted Carson Garrett to win at making fire, but it just wasn't in the cards for him. Fire-making can be emotional, it can be triumphant, but it also can be heartbreaking. In the case of Carson, it was heartbreaking, but tonight, it's triumphant because Jake wins. He finally got the big move he was looking for all season. As a viewer, this is what we've been waiting for with Jake, and it finally happened. This here, this is my win of the season.

But sadly that means Katurah is out, which is heartbreaking. She played such an amazing game and I firmly believe she deserved a spot in that Final Three. She's the quote queen of the season! But it wasn't in the cards for her.

So now that the Final Three is set, it's time for them to go back to camp to celebrate...with breakfast! The Final Three meal is a lovely tradition on the show and honestly, who doesn't love breakfast, right? Dee, Austin and Jake all talk about the jury, and debate how they'll do.

From here until the jury votes, we hear from the jury, and they talk about Austin, Dee and Jake's game. It seems like a match between Dee and Austin, but Jake could sneak in there, he's the underdog. It isn't quite anybody's game, but one thing is for sure, most Survivor jury members hate showmances, so will that hurt Austin and Dee? Let's find out.

JURY VOTE

Jake, Austin and Dee make their case to the jury, while the jury asks questions. I'm going to be honest here, I'm not the biggest fan of nice jury moments in recent years of Survivor. Call me evil, but I want somebody to be angry, you know? It doesn't happen, at least not in recent years, and it's not going to happen this year either.

However, one thing does happen that points to one player being a stand-out, and it's when Dee admits that she held something from Austin strategically. It was in the vote when Emily got sent home. You see, Austin followed his heart and went and told Dee that everybody was going for Julie. Dee then went and told Julie this, so she played her idol. (Well, not really, it was the one that Austin gave her, and she just never gave back.) So in that vote, everybody but Julie voted for Julie, and Julie voted for Emily. You see, Austin told everybody, that Dee wouldn't tell Julie. But she did, and now Dee is admitting that to Austin, and the jury is eating it up.

They're eating it up because Dee is showing that yes, she's in a showmance with Austin, but she's a smart player and willing to lie to him to win the game. That right there, that's catnip to a jury, and they're rolling around in it like a high little kitten.

So now they vote. One by one it becomes clear that the sole survivor of Survivor 45 is Dee. Honestly, I'm not mad about it. Dee played an amazing game and out of everyone in the Final Three, Dee played the smartest game. Would I have loved to see Emily or Katurah in the Final Three? Yes. But I'm still happy to see this turn out the way it did.

It's been quite a season, but don't go anywhere yet. Listen to my chat with Dee on the Parting Shot podcast.

Watch Survivor every Wednesday on CBS or anytime on Paramount+ to follow along as I react to every episode this season.